


The Boy King

by oshjoshmgosh



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: BAMF Stiles, Friendship, Human Alpha Stiles Stilinski, M/M, Magic Stiles, Sort Of, everything works out, getting better, growing up evil, slight Stiles Stilinski/Ethan/Aiden
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-02
Updated: 2018-02-02
Packaged: 2019-03-12 13:44:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13548558
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oshjoshmgosh/pseuds/oshjoshmgosh
Summary: When an 8 year old Stiles' parents die in quick succession, the little boy is left with no one. Empty and alone, he goes into the woods to disappear like his parents.One of the monsters in the woods decides he could be so much more than a snack.





	The Boy King

**Author's Note:**

> So I'm actually really proud of this one, I think it might be the most well written, interesting piece I've done! I would love to give credit to the person I got the inspiration from, but I can't find their story! And of course I didn't think to tag it to find later. It's a much shorter piece where Stiles meets up with the alphas as a kid, but it was only 2k words. I wanted to explore the potential for that, and that's how this piece was born!  
> I hope you guys enjoy it! Give me your thoughts, and if something resonates I might even write another installment in the future! As it stands, however, this is a one-shot with no intention to continue in this universe. For now ;)
> 
> Quick note. If there is an extra space between paragraphs, it denotes a short time jump or a perspective change, meant to be contained within the same general timeline as the previous portion. If paragraphs are separated by *** it means a much larger leap.  
> So I was stunned when I learned that the Tates' car crash, Stilinki's election to sheriff, kali maiming julia, and Stiles mom's death all occurred within a relatively short time of each other! (timeline here http://www.teenwolfwiki.com/Timeline). So I just...squished them even closer together ;)

It was dark, and he could barely see. He tripped on occasion but barely noticed, just picking himself up and resuming his slow, miserable walk through the trees.

He had been walking for hours.

His dad had been dead for hours.

His mom had been dead for hours plus a few minutes.

Stiles had been listening to the spare radio in his dad's room, following the report of a car crash the new sheriff had gone to investigate, when the hospital called for his dad. Stiles took a message. They were letting the sheriff know his wife had just died.

He wished he had not taken the message.

The message would never make it to the sheriff anyway. Lost in a tearful stupor, Stiles almost missed the alarmed call for backup on the radio.

' _The sheriff is down. All units respond, we have a wild animal and the sheriff is down!'_

The radio alerted the rest of the police force when his father died on the way to the hospital.

He had been walking ever since.

There were no more tears. Tears had been for his mother, when he still had someone in the world. Now he was numb, and there was no one left to see his tears, to comfort him and tell him it would be okay. So he stopped crying.

A branch cracking in the darkness drew his eyes off the forest floor. The pale moon filtered down through the canopy, barely illuminating a person standing in the trees. They looked tall, and it was obvious they were watching him, even though he could not see their face.

Then two points of red light appeared where eyes would be.

The thought that he should be afraid, that glowing red eyes were scary, flickered through Stiles' mind. He had the thought, and he dismissed it. Who cared? Why should he be afraid? The worst that could happen is she kidnapped or killed him. But no one would miss him. No one would even know he was gone.

Everyone was dead, so why not him too?

He kept walking.

His feet took him right up to the person, whose eyes continued glowing. As he got closer he saw it was a woman, arms folded and feet bare. She had long, dark hair, and she snarled at him when he got close. He just looked up at her, looked away, and kept walking.

A hand grabbed his shoulder and he felt sharp points settle against his skin. Maybe she would kill him then.

“You're not even a little bit afraid of me.” Her voice slurred, like her mouth was full while she tried to talk. He had stopped when she grabbed him, so he turned and met her gaze again. Why not? She was bigger. If she wanted him to stop she would just make him.

“There's nothing left for me to be scared of.”

The woman tilted her head and he heard her breathing through her nose. Dropping to her knees she leaned in and sniffed his neck. He thought about moving, about pushing her away. But what would be the point? Her teeth grazed his throat, and he wondered if she was going to bite him like an animal. Would it hurt? Would he care if it hurt?

He would just be another animal attack.

She pulled away and looked at him, moonlight glinting off her confused eyebrows.

“You're really not afraid.” He shrugged. She closed her mouth and smiled a tight smile at him. “Come with me.”

Kidnapping it was. He shrugged again. She would take him anyway. No one would miss him.

He grabbed the hand she held out to him and started walking again.

***

Her name was Kali. She was a werewolf, and she had two other werewolves in her pack. The older one, a blind man named Deucalion, roared and struck her when she brought him into the building they were staying at. Stiles watched as she flew across the room and just stared when Deucalion stalked up to him.

The man roared in his face.

Stiles stared back, unflinching. Uncaring.

When the man lifted him up by his throat, he did not struggle. He just stayed quiet, because if the man wanted to kill him, he would. He felt his face turning red and his vision grew dark before the man set him down.

The third werewolf, a giant named Ennis, caught him when he fell over.

“Feel his power, Duke.” Kali whispered from where she stayed on the ground against the wall. Stiles vision returned and he picked himself up out of Ennis' hold, watching the blind man.

“I feel it.”

They took Stiles when they left Beacon Hills.

He was unsure if this counted as kidnapping. They did not tie him up. They fed him. They told him what to do, but it was only ever simple instructions of where to be, where not to be, how to do something. When he needed a shower.

Stiles wondered if he should feel unsafe, and then wondered why. He had nothing left to stay safe for, so who cared if they were dangerous?

The weirdest thing they did was give him lessons about weird powders and plants.

Until he turned ten. Then Kali gave him a knife and started teaching him how to use it.

Ennis taught him how to fight a bigger opponent. No one was bigger than Ennis. Stiles was terrible at fighting though, so they taught him how to get out of a fight, run, and hide.

As Deucalion taught him about plants and _magic_ – the three were stunned to see him actually smile then – Stiles learned he could do things they could not. It was why he had been learning about plants and powders, because he was human and werewolves could not do the things he was learning.

He started being able to feel the energy in and around other people by the time he was eleven. Really, magic was just playing with that energy. Mostly using your own energy to make things happen, like the mountain ash barriers that could stop werewolves.

Stiles could do things with other people's energy.

He spent most of his time in Deucalion's penthouse suite in Los Angeles while the other three were out and about. Werewolf business. He played video games and studied. He home-schooled himself to stave off the boredom. He drew, and wrote, and practiced with his knife and fists. He spent most of his time alone, which was fine. There was no one he really wanted to interact with in the first place.

Occasionally, Deucalion would meet with other wolves in the apartment. He could always tell if someone was a werewolf, now; they had different energy than humans. Usually they ignored him, and he never saw them again. Sometimes they would live with them for a couple days, then Kali or Ennis would kill them.

The first wolf to stay with them for longer than a couple days was a man named Tear. He acknowledged Stiles' existence, but otherwise spent most of his time with Deucalion, or out with the others. The first time they ate dinner as a pack, he furrowed his brow at Stiles' presence, but shrugged it off.

“He is our emissary.” Deucalion answered when Tear asked about him. Stiles kept his face blank and ate his food. Tear furrowed his brow again but moved on with the conversation. Stiles finished eating before the others – he was smaller and ate less – rinsed his plate in the sink and put it in the dishwasher before returning to the table with his notebook and started sketching.

“What're you drawing?” He looked up at Tear's question, making eye contact for a brief second before returning to his paper.

“You.” The others chatted among themselves, listening but unconcerned.

“Me?”

“Yep.”

“Why?” Stiles shrugged in response. He could feel Tear's energy twisting like he was about to ask a question, but then it smoothed out. He shrugged and turned back to the other alphas.

Two weeks later found Stiles alone with Tear.

Deucalion had gone out to meet with another alpha, while Kali and Ennis were...somewhere. Tear had nothing to be doing and so decided to stay at home. He entered the room where Stiles was playing Halo. Stiles eyes twitched over to him, reading something different about his energy. It was flowing in a different pattern than normal.

“Hey, Stiles.”

“Hi.” A hand squeezed his shoulder gently and stayed there. Tear wanted something. Stiles paused his game and turned to look at the man. “You should leave.” The alpha lifted a questioning eyebrow. His energy swirled in amusement.

“Why?”

“I don't want you touching me, and you're going to do something stupid.” The man's smile widened and his energy grew pointy. Stiles repressed a sigh.

“You let the others touch you.” Tear shifted so he was in front of Stiles, his other hand lifting to ruffle his hair.

“This is your last warning.” Tear chuckled and squeezed the hand on Stiles shoulder, hard enough that it hurt. “Move, I don't want you to break the TV.” Stiles shifted so he was facing the wall with the door. Tear, confused but amused, moved with him. Good, the TV would be fine. Tear leaned forward, looming over Stiles, and he reached out a hand and put it on Tear's chest. The alpha chuckled. Stiles expression remained blank, but he reached out and gathered Tear's energy, focusing it on the point where his hand rested on the man's chest.

Electricity surged through Tear, exploding from Stiles' palm and sending him through the air to crash against the wall. Stiles sighed and stood up, brushing the wrinkles from his clothes before walking over to the stunned alpha.

Tear's hair stood in all directions and he lay spread-eagle on the floor. His limbs twitched sporadically and his mouth gaped as he struggled to draw breath. He flashed his eyes angrily at Stiles' approach. His energy pooled around him, lashing randomly as he tried to recover.

Ennis had said the first thing he should use against a werewolf was electricity.

Curious, Stiles reached out and took hold of Tear's energy once again and began to draw it into himself. He gasped as the power flooded him, lighting his senses on fire.

This was the best he had felt in two years.

He continued drawing, noting absently when Tear stopped struggling to breathe and the red in his eyes faded to blue, then back to their native brown. When the last of his energy passed into Stiles, Tear was still on the ground. Was he dead? Stiles furrowed his brows and leaned down, pressing his fingers to the man's neck to feel for a pulse.

He had none.

Stiles shrugged. He had warned the man. Three times.

  
  


“What happened, Stiles?” Deucalion asked when he returned, cane bumping against a body. He knelt and felt the features, recognizing his newest addition to the pack. The sounds of shooting, aliens, and Stiles mashing buttons told him Stiles was just playing a game, unconcerned. He sighed. Tear had shown such promise as a pack member. The man had been strong, intelligent, and ruthless.

“He didn't listen when I told him not to touch me.” The boy's voice was devoid of inflection, as usual. There was no guilt, no pain, no joy. Just a statement of fact. “I electrocuted him, then ate his energy.” Deucalion's eyebrows lifted in surprise. He had not known the boy was capable of such a feat. He smiled, impressed. Much as he had wanted Tear for his own, this new twist in Stiles' abilities more than made up for the alpha's loss.

“Very well. Ennis,” he called back through the doorway. “Clean up this mess, if you would.”

***

Stiles was fifteen when a whole pack tried to ambush Deucalion.

The alpha had requested a meeting with just Duke, but the Demon Wolf smelled a trap. So he arranged for them to bring their emissaries as well. The other alpha agreed, and Stiles tagged along.

They arrived to find the whole pack of twelve betas surrounding them. Deucalion sighed and stared at where he could sense the other alpha's presence. Stiles sighed and reached into his pocket, pulling out a small vial of powder.

“Deucalion!” The woman shrieked. Stiles immediately disliked her. “You've done enough damage to this world! It ends here!”

“Is this your whole pack, Clarise? I thought we agreed it would just be alphas and emissaries tonight.” Stiles emptied the powder into his hand and deposited the vial back into his pocket.

“Duke?”

“One moment, Stiles.” He nodded and waited.

“Of course this is my whole pack. I could never best you alone. But all of us against you? That we can handle.” Deucalion hummed.

“If you had convinced me to come alone, I might almost agree. But I am not alone, and so you shall fail.” He nodded and Stiles focused. A twist of his energy, to infuse the powder with his will. He clapped his hand over the pile, then scattered them apart. A shockwave blew out from him, carrying the purple dust throughout the room and over all the wolves.

Except Deucalion. He directed the force around his alpha.

The wolves howled and dropped to the ground, gasping in pain as their faces and lungs burned. Clarise's emissary jumped and whirled around in surprise. Stiles simply reached out for her energy, twisted it around her, and snapped her neck cleanly.

“Would you like to drain them all, Stiles? You deserve this one.” He shrugged, but moved toward one of the betas. He did not really care for more power, but it was always useful. If Deucalion wanted him to feast, why would he decline?

Clarise keened in pain as Stiles killed her first beta.

Her cries grew sharper and stronger with each wolf Stiles drained. Thoughts flickered through his mind, suggestions that he should care. That he should stop. That he should help her. That he should enjoy this more. But why? She would have killed him. How many of these betas were here against their will? Probably not all of them. But they all would have killed him as well.

If they left any alive, they would certainly come for revenge.

He drained the last beta and then moved to stand over Clarise. She sobbed and shuddered where she lay, uncaring of his looming presence. Her pack was dead. Death would be a mercy.

Death would have been a mercy for him too.

He reached out and began to feast, power already pounding through him and raging beneath his skin. Her energy flowed into him smoothly, cutting off when her heart fell still. He felt so full. He could do anything. He had to do something. He had too much wild, uncontained power coursing through him. He had the loose power of twelve betas and an alpha raging within him. Clarise had a strong pack. They had been tightly bonded.

He would tightly bind them again.

Closing his eyes, he began to meld the power, tying the loose waves together and pressing them down into a single, solid form. He wrapped the betas' energy in their alpha's, smoothing it out and pressing it down to where he could control it. He felt heat in his eyes as the power spread through him, filling his cells and muscles with power and life.

He knew he would see red eyes in a mirror.

“Stiles?” Apparently even Deucalion could feel the difference in him. He turned from the bodies and made his way back to his alpha.

“Looks like you got another alpha anyway.” Deucalion's eyes flashed at him from behind his dark glasses, so he allowed the power to flood his own eyes. The Demon Wolf grinned and set a hand on his shoulder before turning away.

“Very good, Stiles.”

***

“I want them.”

Three sets of eyes turned to him over the dinner table. Never before had Stiles given any opinion about the alphas Deucalion tested. Ennis frowned, but said nothing. Deucalion pursed his lips thoughtfully. Kali grinned, baring all her teeth, before laughing loudly.

“You just want to fuck them.” He looked at her and blinked, shrugging.

“I'm a sixteen year old boy. They're sixteen year old boys. And twins. And hot.” Stiles had discovered his libido shortly after becoming an alpha himself. Oh sure, he had jacked off, looked at porn, done the typical pubescent boy things. But he had never met someone that kindled...feelings...in his gut.

“Twin alphas are not something I have seen before.” Deucalion mused. “It could be well worth the investment. They may be young, but that just gives them time to grow into their power under the proper tutelage.” Stiles put a smile on his face. Deucalion never said 'no' if he asked for something. Probably because Stiles never asked for things. The last time Stiles had asked for anything was when he was thirteen and wanted to leave LA. They had packed up within a week and had been traveling across the country ever since.

Deucalion invited Ethan and Aiden to dinner the next Friday. Stiles sat across from them, and they spent half the dinner staring at him.

“He's human.” Ethan said at one point, voice confused. His twin spoke up right after.

“He's an alpha.”

“He's our emissary.” Deucalion responded simply. Stiles grinned at them, swallowing his food and flashing his eyes.

“Stiles here. Good to meet you two. Been here about seven years, learned magic, yada yada. Duke tells me to do something, I do it. Otherwise, I'm in charge.” The twins grinned like he had told a joke, then noticed that neither Kali nor Ennis were responding. They shrugged and continued eating their food, as though the _human_ had not just claimed rank over them.

“You're serious.” Stiles nodded. Deucalion nodded.

“Stiles very well may be the most powerful member of this pack. He defers to me only out of experience and respect. As our emissary, if he warns us against a course of action, or advises another, we listen without hesitation.” Twin jaws hung open before they simultaneously shook themselves and took another bite of food. It amused Stiles, and he felt the curl of want in his gut tighten.

“I get some really good vibes from you two. I want you with us, I think you'd be a great addition.” The pair looked at Stiles, then at each other. Stiles' eyes widened briefly as their energies tangled together, like they were communicating. Could they speak telepathically?? That would be so cool.

“You'll leave our family alone?” Stiles' smile dropped and he turned on Deucalion. The alpha swallowed his food and waved a dismissive hand.

“Of course. I've offered them ample recompense in exchange for allowing you to 'accompany me on your studies.' And of course, you will be studying in truth with Stiles. He intends to attend online classes for computer science and biology in the fall. He earned his GED this past Christmas. You will be expected to be similarly educated.”

The twins asked more questions, most of which Stiles or Deucalion answered. In the end, they agreed to join the pack.

Stiles felt a real smile crack his face for the first time in years.

***

_Scott._

_Scott McCall._

_Alpha Scott._

_But not yet._

_True Alpha._

_A True Alpha rises._

_Scott McCall._

_SCOTT_

Stiles gasped awake, voices still ringing in his head. Voices calling out a name he had not heard in eight years.

“Stiles?” Ethan asked sleepily from next to him, rubbing his eyes and sitting up. “What's wrong?” He inhaled, held his breath for a count of four, then exhaled. Shaking his head, he laid back down and pulled Aiden's still-sleeping arm around his chest.

“Nothing, for now.” He said the words softly, reaching out to pull Ethan back down. The alpha settled back down facing him, reaching out to hold his side just under where Aiden's arm curled around him. “Go back to sleep. We're leaving in the morning.” Ethan nodded and yawned.

“Where to?”

“Back to California. Beacon Hills.

***

Scott was irritable. Everyone kept their distance from him, eyes averted and bodies turned away. Everyone could tell he was upset – he had never been good at keeping emotion off his face – and treated him appropriately. Not that anyone would have tried speaking to him in the first place. Only Jackson or Isaac would have tried, and them only because they were pack.

Peter had kept them awake all night, at first training – or getting the shit kicked out of them – and then brainstorming who else Peter could add to their pack. Derek grumbled that they did not need anyone else, earning him an extra ass-kicking. Peter roared that Boyd and Erica's disappearance was a sign.

He was irritated because of Peter. He was _always_ irritated because of Peter, but today moreso than normal.

Today Peter was taking his mom out on a date.

It made his stomach curl and twist, like it wanted to explode out of him and strangle Peter in its fleshy, acidic folds.

The image made some of the irritation fall away.

He took a bite of his sandwich.

And promptly choked when the overwhelming scent and feeling of _alpha_ flooded the cafeteria.

Gaze whipping around, his eyes settled on the three boys who had just strolled in through the double doors. Two of the three were twins, and they walked just behind the other boy, one at each shoulder. They flanked him like guards, clearly deferring to him. He looked familiar, but Scott could not figure out why.

His staring was noticed, the leader of the trio catching his eye and winking.

He wanted to grin and roll over for the boy, his alpha presence overwhelming and consuming.

Peter had never felt like that.

Never, in the year that Scott had been Peter's beta, had he felt the desire to submit. Sure, Peter had forced his will on Scott several times, bludgeoning him afterward for disobedience. But it had only ever engendered anger and hatred for his alpha.

He wanted this boy alpha to take him in his arms and hold him close, whispering that everything would be alright.

Jackson dropped down at the table across from him, stealing his attention, and Isaac sat down on his right.

“Who're the new guys?” Scott shrugged at Jackson's question.

“I don't know. They're...They're a pack though. I can tell the twins follow the other one. He's...”

“Overwhelming.” Isaac muttered. Scott nodded and Jackson frowned.

A couple minutes passed in silence before Scott felt eyes on him. He looked up and noticed the three boys walking toward them, lunch trays in hand.

“They're coming here.”

“The fuck? Why?” No one said anything else before the trio was right there.

“We're here for him.” The boy in front gestured at Scott with a nod. “You two can leave.”

“Like hell we're leaving.” Jackson snorted. Isaac growled low in his chest, not liking the tension he could feel rising. “What do you want with McCall?”

“I just want to reconnect with my best friend.” Scott's eyes widened and his stomach dropped out from below him. No. It couldn't be. But he seemed so familiar...

“S-Stiles?” The boy beamed a bright grin at him in response.

“Got it in one, Scotty!”

“Wait, Stilinski? The fuck?!” Jackson's voice lifted an octave in surprise. Stiles rolled his eyes and settled and annoyed glare on him.

“Yeah. And you're just as big a douche as the day I left. So go away. Thanks, bye.”

“Yeah, no. First off-” Stiles sighed as Jackson started, reaching a finger out and tapping the wolf between the eyes. Jackson's gaze fell flat and his words tapered off, falling still and staring off into space.

“What...what did you just do to him?” Scott stammered, eyes wide. Stiles put on an apologetic grin.

“It's nothing, just a little pause button. I'll wake him up after, he's annoying me.

“So how you been, Scotty? I see you got bitten! How's werewolf life treating you?” Scott's eyes were still wide, unsure of anything that was going on.

“You...Stiles...” Scott's voice broke and he felt his eyes watering. How was Stiles here?! “You disappeared, man. Where did you go?” He watched as Stiles eyes softened, lips curling in a grimace.

“My parents died, Scott. So I just started walking. Didn't really think about anything, kinda figured I'd freeze to death outside. Some alphas picked me up, took me in, and eight years later, here I am!” There was too much emotion going on inside him. He could not figure out where to even begin with the thoughts and feelings raging around. Peter and his mom, Stiles, Jackson, Boyd and Erica. He felt his breath catching in his lungs and knew he was about to start hyperventilating.

A strong hand pressed against his back and he felt his lungs open up immediately, clean air rushing in to fill them and clearing the spots from his vision. He looked up and found Stiles crouched over him on the bench, hand on his back and the other braced on the table to catch him.

“You alright?” Scott sucked in another breath and nodded. “How bout we play catch-up later? Maybe tonight over pizza and Call of Duty?” He wanted to. He wanted to so badly. Peter would freak out if he found out Scott was hanging out with another alpha, though, even if that alpha was his best friend who disappeared eight years ago without a trace.

“I...My alpha...” Stiles waved the hand that was on the table dismissively.

“Don't worry about him. He'll never know.” Stiles eyes then flashed red, and slowly faded back to brown, his entire alpha-presence fading with them.

“What...how?” Stiles grinned at him.

“I know a lot of cool tricks. It'll be fine.” Scott shook his head, unable to process everything happening around him.

“Yeah. Sure. He's...he's taking my mom to dinner at seven.”

“He's dating your mom?” Scott could not help releasing a low growl at the words. He felt his lip curl and his eyes flash unbidden. “Clearly some bad blood. Gross.” He looked up at the twins, who had remained silent so far. The one on the other side of the table looked up and nodded. “Tail them. Keep an eye on Scott's mom, we don't want anything happening to her.” To Scott's surprise, both twins' eyes flared red as they nodded.

“You're all alphas?” Stiles quirked his lips at Scott before settling down onto the bench beside him. His hand stayed on Scott's back.

“Yup. I can fill you in on all that tonight. Why don't you tell me about life in Beacon Hills for the past few years?”

  
  


Stiles returned to the penthouse apartment with wide, heavy steps. Five pairs of eyes followed him and he stopped in the middle of the room.

“Yes, Stiles?” He turned to face Deucalion, keeping his eye on the pair chained up against the far wall.

“We're gonna let them go back to their pack.” The Demon Wolf cocked a curious eyebrow.

“Explain, please.” Stiles nodded. The twins watched him from where they leaned against the door, Kali watching from Ennis' lap.

“I'm in. We don't need them, and letting them go free will be a good faith showing.”

“Since when have we needed a good faith showing?” Stiles levied an unimpressed eye that his alpha could not see.

“Since we don't need our target to kill his betas. We need him to come willingly, or he will fight us tooth and nail.” Deucalion remained quiet for a moment before nodding. Stiles' shoulders relaxed. “We'll escort them back to the Hale house around six-forty.” The three older alphas nodded and the betas watched him with wide, confused eyes.

Stiles went into the kitchen to fix everyone dinner, the twins helping and setting out eight plates when it was almost finished. At five thirty he called them all in, the two betas walking stiffly in front of the other three alphas. He grinned at them and they cautiously took the two seats he gestured them into.

“So. Erica, Boyd. Sorry about the whole 'kidnapping and tying you to a wall' thing. We thought we'd need some leverage to accomplish our goals, but I was wrong. So here's an apology dinner, and I'll take you home afterward.”

“Who the fuck are you?” He grinned at the blonde's rude question. He had not been present when they were taken, and he had not let them see him in the two days since. Everyone settled into their seats and started eating.

“Name's Stiles. Well, not really, but it's what I go by because my first name is a jumble of letters no one but me can pronounce. I'm the reason we're in this lovely little Hellmouth you call home.”

“Why'd you come here? What do you want with us?”

“With you? Nothing, anymore. I meant it, I'll drop you off safe and sound as soon as Peter's not around. Can't have you spilling my plans quite yet, you understand.” Boyd frowned and Erica scoffed.

“Like we'd help Peter. Fuck him.”

“Oh?”

“Guy's a dick. Always has been. It's why we took off.”

“Is there a lot of bad blood with Peter?” Erica shrugged and looked at him cautiously.

“Yeah? He pretty much conscripted all of us, except Jackson. But he stayed for Lydia.” Interesting. Stiles titled his head and watched the pair until they shifted uncomfortably.

“So you won't mind when I kill him?” Erica scoffed again.

“Yeah, good luck.”

“I won't need it,” he waved a hand dismissively. “So tell me then. Who are your next three choices for alpha?” Their eyebrows furrowed again in confusion.

“If you kill Peter, we won't have an alpha.”

“Humor me.” Boyd remained silent, but had finally started eating. Apparently watching his pasta being served from the same pot as everyone else's was not enough to satisfy him that it was free of poison. But avoiding talking seemed to do it. Erica frowned at him and took a bite of her own food before answering.

“Scott. Then Derek. Then Boyd.” She gestured to her companion and then took another massive bite. Stiles nodded. He could work with that. And of course they wanted Scott for their alpha. Even they could feel his latent capabilities.

The two betas actually opened up and seemed to relax as they discussed less dire things. Stiles asked them how school was going, how people thought of them, family situations, sports, who liked who. The other alphas remained mostly silent, Kali and Ennis leaving the table as soon as they'd finished eating. They rubbed gentle hands over Stiles' head in silent thanks on their way out, earning furrowed brows from the betas.

“Can I...”

“You can ask whatever you want. I might not answer, but feel free to ask.” He tossed a wink at Erica. Ethan and Aiden smirked.

“You're all alphas.” Stiles nodded. “Are you in charge?” Stiles shrugged.

“Sort of. I mentioned that I brought us here, right?” She nodded. “This is my mission, so I'm in charge of it. That's about all you'll get about our dynamics.” Erica grimaced, but nodded.

The clock in the hall tolled once to signal that six-thirty had rolled around.

“You guys ready to go?” Boyd and Erica exchanged an uncertain glance. After a second, they shrugged and nodded, standing up.

“For what it's worth,” the betas flinched at Deucalion's cultured voice. He went on as though he could not sense their reactions – which could be true, Stiles never had the best grasp of what Duke could actually perceive. “For what it's worth, I do apologize for accosting and kidnapping you needlessly. Had we known Stiles could so quickly find an alternate course, you could have been well on your way to wherever you wished.” Erica glared for a moment, and Stiles was sure she would snipe her response. He was almost disappointed when she inhaled and released the tension in her shoulders.

“Well, if wishes were horses, and all that. And if you can kill Peter, maybe it won't be so bad around here.” She turned back to Stiles, which he took as his cue to actually leave. He let the two betas walk behind him, knowing the twins would follow them and watch his back. As they left the building, Boyd spoke up for the first time.

“You're just letting us know where you're staying?” The twins chuckled and Stiles responded without turning around.

“I mean, if you really want to come back you can?” But that would be a terrible idea. “I can promise no quicker death than trying to ambush us on our own turf though. So keep that in mind.”

  
  


Scott flailed when the doorbell rang minutes after his mom...left. The idea that his alpha was taking his mother out for dinner still sent shivers up his spine. Peter was such a creep, and he knew his alpha was only taking his mom out to make a point. Scott was powerless against him. He could do whatever he wanted, and Scott could do nothing about it.

Slamming shut the ancient family photo album – he had been looking at the few pictures of himself and Stiles from back when they were little – he leaped to his feet and tore down the stairs. Throwing open the door, he could not help the grin that split his face.

He had missed Stiles for _years_.

No one had ever connected with him the way Stiles had, and no one had tried after he was gone. Scott spent his days alone, an asthmatic nobody, with no one but his mom and a couple people also on the outskirts. Isaac, Erica and Boyd. The three were true loners though, keeping to themselves, even though they spent lunches together. So Scott joined them, and spent his time with them by himself.

It hurt. He missed having a best friend who would talk to him about anything, any time. He had tried getting the others to open up, but they just...were not right. Isaac was an okay Stiles-substitute for a while, but then his brother died and he disappeared. He stopped coming over to Scott's house, he stopped letting people go to his, and he stopped talking to anyone during or outside of school. Erica spent most of her days sick or in the hospital. Boyd just wanted to be left alone.

When Stiles stepped forward and wrapped him in a hug, Scott thought he would melt. Except his mom, no one had hugged him in years. Even his mom hugged him less and less lately. Being a werewolf, keeping secrets, had driven a wedge between them. She worked more frequently, just so she would not have to witness him sneaking out, or getting in late, and lying to her. He actually could not remember the last time she had just held him, told him she loved him.

So his best friend, practically coming back from the grave, was the first person in forever to give him a real, solid hug, full of tangible affection.

He cried.

He felt his eyes prickling, and he tried to stop it, but it was too much. He had missed this too much. He wrapped his arms around Stiles' back, buried his face in the boy's shoulder, and sobbed. He barely noticed Stiles slowly walking them into the house, closing the door behind him, and settling them on the couch. He just pulled Scott into his arms and whispered into his hair while Scott bawled.

“Shh shh shh, Scotty. It's okay. Everything is gonna be okay. I'll never leave you again, I promise. Scotty, I'm so sorry for leaving you behind. It's alright buddy, cry as hard as you need. I'm here, I'll never leave you again.”

He had no idea how long he cried. He remembered saying words, asking Stiles questions. He could not remember what he asked, or what the answers were. Night fell while they sat there. Eventually his tears subsided and he stopped trembling, just curling up against Stiles' chest.

“Want some pizza?”

He nodded.

Stiles pulled out his phone and pressed it a few times, holding it up to his ear.

He ordered mega-meat with mushrooms, as though he somehow knew it was Scott's favorite. Scott was about to ask how he knew when Stiles hung up, but the other boy spoke first.

“Sorry I didn't ask, but it's my favorite and it's been a while.” He shook his head.

“It's cool. It's mine too.” He felt Stiles' grin against his hair. He felt embarrassment trying to rise up in him at the position they settled in, but it was too comfortable. For the first time in years, Scott felt relaxed. Happy.

“No way.” he chuckled. “I guess there's a reason we were best friends.” The words pricked at his heart.

“I missed you. No one...No one really ever filled in the hole you left.” Stiles sighed, squeezing his arms around him and resting his chin on Scott's head.

“I'm sorry, buddy. Back then, I was...broken. Losing both parents in one night...I just stopped thinking, stopped caring. I didn't think about coming to you, or leaving you. Honestly, I didn't think about _anything_. I just...left. I was empty. I had no plans, no ideas, no hopes. I probably would have just walked until I collapsed and died in the preserve if the alphas hadn't found me.”

The words hurt Scott, but there was nothing he could really say to them. He did not try to leave. He just...did not have anything strong enough to keep him there. Scott was not enough to keep him there. He shook his head and banished the thought. Stiles was here now. He came back for him.

Or was he back for something else? He pulled away and slid out of Stiles' lap, but kept his friend's arm around him. He could not abandon that open affection completely. Not yet.

“Why are you back? Why now?” Stiles shrugged.

“Honestly? You.”

“Me?” His heart pounded, and he felt hope rising in his chest.

“Hold on, Scotty. Before you get all happy, I'm gonna crush it a little. Just a little, because the end result is the same.

“I didn't think about Beacon Hills for years. It was the place my parents died, and I blocked it and everything about it from my memory. It hurts to say it, but that included you.” He was right, it did hurt. Scott's heart fell and his eyes followed it, dropping to the floor. “I'm sorry, buddy. I blocked it all out, until I had a dream a few months ago.”

“Really? A dream?” Stiles jostled him with a sharp grin.

“Yeah, a dream. I get prophetic dreams sometimes. I'm...in tune with the spirits of the world. They told me about you. They said your name, and it broke the floodgates I had built around my heart. As soon as I heard your name, I knew we had to come here, I had to see you again. I started missing you so damn bad. Ethan and Aiden stopped sleeping with me because I stank of longing every night.” For some reason, hearing that Stiles slept with the twins caused another twinge of something. He refused to look at it, honing back in on Stiles' words.

“The dream told me you would become a True Alpha, the most powerful alpha in a hundred years. And I thought, 'well that's just fucking convenient. It's the perfect excuse to get my best friend back.'”

“Wait,” Scott broke in, confused. “I'm not an alpha.” Stiles shook his head.

“Not yet. But you will be. And the best part? You'll do it on your own, just because you're such a strong person. You'll never even have to kill anyone, because the True Alpha power comes from you, and the strength of your soul.

“What? But...How?” True Alpha? He had never heard of anything like that. Would he want to be an alpha? He would be better than Peter, that was for sure. But...an alpha?

“I'll help you, don't worry about it.”

They chatted more, Stiles telling him about life with the alphas, Scott telling him about life under Peter. By the time the pizza arrived, Scott was jealous. He was jealous of Stiles' life. Only the fact that it had come at the cost of his parents' lives kept Scott from wishing it could have happened to him too.

He wanted to go with Stiles so badly. He would miss his mom...But she would be happier with him gone. She could date a real guy without worrying about her delinquent son. She would be able to pay the bills without worrying about providing for him. If Stiles and the twins were the norm, their alpha would pay for Scott to go through school, which was yet another burden removed from his mom's shoulders.

And there was no reason he could not visit occasionally. He would go away for school in two years anyway – if Peter would let him leave. Going now would not be much different, especially if he took the twins' example and told her it was a study opportunity.

Or a rehabilitation opportunity for troubled youth might be more believable.

“Scott?” He flinched at Stiles voice, realizing he had sat silent for too long just staring at the pizza in his hand. He leaped and took a huge bite, burning his mouth and swallowing it quickly. “You okay, bud?”

“Take me with you,” he blurted. Oh shoot, he had not meant to sound so desperate. His eyes widened, face burning red and he shoved another massive bite of pizza in his mouth. He glared down at the carpet as his face heated, avoiding Stiles' undoubtedly judgmental gaze.

A gentle hand in his hair pulled him back up until he had no choice but to lock eyes with Stiles. The fingers clenched weakly, more carding through his long locks than anything. Stiles quirked a soft smile at him.

“I'm so glad you asked. It makes all of this so much easier!” Stiles fell back against the couch with a grin, fingers staying tangled in his hair. “I was worried I'd have to convince you to come with, and go through all this drama and blah blah blah.” He turned back and caught Scott's eyes again. “I couldn't leave you a second time. I came here for you, and it makes me so happy that I don't have to worry about you not wanting to come when we leave.

“Hey.” Stiles shot forward, dropping his hand from Scott's hair to his knee. He turned and caught his eyes with a devilish grin, face inches from Scott's. “Wanna feel what it'll be like when you're an alpha?”

“What?” He reared back, disbelieving. Stiles could do that? “What does that even mean?” Stiles just grinned wider and held out his hand.

“I can't do it for very long, but...I can probably manage enough to give you a real taste.” Scott's eyes yo-yo'd between Stiles' hand and his eyes. Finally, he nodded, swallowed, and grabbed on. Stiles eyes flared for a moment before fading to brown.

And Scott's world exploded.

Pure power coursed through his muscles, pressing against his skin and rippling through him in a flood. He felt his teeth and claws elongate, his eyes burned and he knew if he could see them they would be shining red. His senses came alive, sounds and smells talking at him and telling him things he had still never experienced, even as a werewolf. He felt like light and life itself.

It ended soon, too soon. Stiles inhaled with a gasp and the power left Scott as suddenly as it had come, leaving him feeling cold and stretched.

A small part of him, deep inside, burned.

“Woah.” He whispered, eyes wide and hand pressed to his chest. He turned and looked at Stiles.

“Intense, huh?”

“No, not-I mean, yeah, it was amazing! But...I can...I can still feel it.” Stiles eyes lit up like fireworks and his smile split his face.

“That's because you're a True Alpha, Scott. That's your spark! You just have to bring it out, let it free. It'll happen, don't worry. It's what makes you a True Apha – it'll happen eventually.”

“Can you...” Stiles shook his head without needing to hear the rest of his question.

“I don't want to wake it up. It has to come from you, otherwise it might not be right. I couldn't risk your potential just to jump the timeline. It could be like giving a kid steroids! Sure they'll get beefy as fuck, but it will ruin them forever. They'll never get to what they could have been if they'd taken the slow, healthy route.” Scott grinned in spite of himself and laughed at the analogy.

“Come on, let's go kill some Nazis. The twins suck at Call of Duty, I need an equal.” He joined Stiles as they stood, leaving the empty pizza box on the coffee table. He flushed when he realized their hands were still joined, but did not want to let go.

Stiles made no attempt to separate them as Scott led the way to his room.

  
  


The knell of a dark bell pulled Stiles from sleep. The low tone echoed through his mind and soul, pulling at him in ways he had only ever pulled. The toll rolled around and pulled at his energy, tugging at him to follow it. He opened his eyes and tried to sit up, only to be stopped by a physical pressure.

Scott's arm was thrown over his waist, face buried in his shoulder and his own arm curled around the werewolf's shoulder. The attempted motion jostled his bedmate and pulled Scott from his own rest.

“Mmm...Stiles? Wha's wr'ng?”

The sound continued humming at him, rolling in varying waves over his mind and senses. He needed to follow it.

“Something is happening.” He whispered softly. It was too early for real speech. And he would hate to wake Melissa. Her son shuffled around, lifting himself to look up. Stiles could not help a small smile as he took in the bed head, the drool shining off his cheek, his dopey eyes all fuzzed up in sleepy confusion. He reached up and wiped the drool off and then carded his fingers through Scott's hair in a weak attempt at taming the unruly mop.

“What's happening?” He allowed the affectionate fussing, a blush staining his cheeks.

“I'm not sure. Let's check it out. I'm gonna call the twins.” Scott nodded and rolled onto his back, rubbing sleep from his eyes and stretching out. Stiles picked up his phone and hit Ethan's contact info, pressing 'call.'

“St'les? Wass'p?”

“Hey, get Aiden and come meet me at Scott's. Something's happening and I want backup.”

“What? Yeah, okay.” His voice grew softer as he pulled the phone away from his face. “Aiden. Aiden! Get up, Stiles needs help.”

“Huh, what? Stiles? What's wrong, where is he?”

“Scott's place. He's gonna wait for us. Let's go. Stiles?” He returned to the phone. “We'll be there in ten.”

“Thanks.” He hung up, turning back to Scott who watched him with curious eyes.

“You guys are close, aren't you?” Stiles shrugged and scooted out of bed to pull on his pants and shoes.

“Yeah, kinda. I'm closer to them than Kali or Ennis.” He continued quickly at Scott's raised eyebrow. “Two of the other alphas. Our alpha is Deucalion. He and I are pretty close, I guess, but it's more like...a permissive grandfather. Or something, not that I ever knew my grandparents. He basically lets me do whatever I want, but if he gives a command he expects us to obey immediately.”

“He lets _you_ do whatever you want? What about the others?” Scott rolled out of bed to start dressing as well. Stiles sighed to himself as he threw on a shirt.

“Kali and Ennis are basically betas, for as much as they're alphas. They do their own things occasionally, but more often than not they do whatever Duke tells them to. They're basically his Ethan and Aiden. I take the twins everywhere, he takes the other two everywhere.”

“Wait, wait, wait. So...You're basically in charge of the alpha pack.” Stiles shrugged. “How does that work with you being human?”

“Magic.” Scott rolled his eyes like Stiles was not dead serious. He chuckled and tied his shoes. “No, really. It's because I can do magic. I'm like, super powerful, so everyone defers to me unless Deucalion has something else in mind.” Scott just stared at him for a minute, jaw hanging open. Stiles winked at him and he closed his mouth, shaking his head and finishing putting on his own shoes.

“Look at you, being all powerful and in charge.” Stiles smirked at him and swatted at his head, grabbing on and pulling him in when Scott failed to avoid his hand. After a quick hug he kept Scott under his arm as they made their way quietly down the hall and stairs to meet the twins.

They heard the motorcycles as they hit the end of the street, but then the twins killed the bikes and coasted to a quiet stop in front of them.

“Thanks for coming. Something's going on out in the preserve. It's calling me.”

“What is it?”

“And should he be coming?” Aiden gestured at Scott with his chin, eyes never leaving Stiles. He just nodded.

“Scotty's gotta get used to us anyway. No point waiting till he wakes up his spark.” The twins both shrugged and dismounted their bikes as one. Stiles smiled; he loved when they did everything in sync.

“Lead the way, Boss-man.” Stiles' smile turned into a smirk and he turned to cross the street, making his way into the woods. His inner alpha still preened whenever someone acknowledged him as being in charge.

They ran for a while, the wolves following him and Stiles following the echoing bell ringing through the night. After close to half an hour, he slowed. They were close. The tolling of the bell was softer, but a spirit of malevolence saturated the air like a fog. He reached out with his senses, feeling out through the air. If they continued the way they had been heading, they would be trekking further into the miasma as it thickened.

It had to be the right way.

“Stiles...” He turned back to look at Scott over his shoulder. “This...I don't like this.” The twins silently rolled their eyes where Scott could not see them, but Stiles just grinned.

“That means we're going the right way! That feeling of 'get out' really means 'I have something to hide.'” Scott grimaced, but he nodded and kept walking. Stiles hid a smile as the werewolf walked a little quicker until their shoulders were brushing occasionally. As much as he wanted Scott to be his own alpha, he loved the idea that the other boy was responding to him as his alpha.

The warm feelings fled as they crossed into a clearing.

Stiles' full attention was drawn to a massive, low stump in the middle of the desert clearing. Dying trees ringed a barren circle of sand with the dead stump as the centerpiece.

It sang of evil and foulness and corruption.

Steeling the nausea roiling in his gut, Stiles stepped forward and reached out to the tree with his senses. Images and impressions flashed before him.

A young girl, coughing up black goo as her life drained out over the tree's roots.

A young, attractive man at a pool brutally strangled and bludgeoned before he even knew what was happening.

A girl about the same age dragged from her bedroom, terrified as she was bound and slaughtered the same way as the young man.

“Who the hell do you think you are?” Stiles jerked as a loud woman's voice shrieked at him from the other side of the tree. The three wolves behind him startled as well, clearly incensed at being caught so unawares. How had she snuck up on them? It was like she had just...appeared.

She was pretty, he supposed. A little old for his taste, too soft looking. Except for her eyes. Her eyes bore the weight and hatred of a grudge held too long. Her energy rippled with anger and disdain, lashing out at him as though it wanted to strangle him for existing. She was strong, and a thick black cable connected her to the heart of the tree. He doubted anyone else could see it, but it sang of power and unity. She had bonded to the tree, probably via the sacrifices he had seen. If she were determined to be an enemy, she could be trouble.

For someone else.

Stiles put on a friendly smile and waved at her.

“I think I'm Stiles. I mean, I know I'm someone else, but no one can say that name. So I go by Stiles. This little bond you've got going on with the creepy dead god-tree is impressive! To whom do I owe the pleasure?” He ignored Scott's confused frown. The twins would stop him if he tried to do anything stupid. The woman sneered at him, the expression marring her pretty face.

“Stiles. Why don't you just run along with your puppies like a good little boy and I won't kill you.” He let the smile slide off his face.

“You're not the friendliest bitch I've come across.” He extended his energy outward slowly, layering it throughout the clearing and surrounding her. He hoped she was one of the more normal magic-wielders who were incapable of feeling and manipulating natural energy like him. If she could...

But she made no move acknowledging his power surrounding them. He was careful not to touch her directly with it, but if she could manipulate it like he could she would have been aware of his actions even without them directly affecting her.

“Why don't you tell me why you felt the need to kill some people to return a dead deity to life? You know that'll just bring all sorts of evil shit here, don't you? Or did you skip those lessons in Magic, Gods and You: An Introductory Course?” Her sneer turned into a scowl as he spoke and her aura grew more generally irritated.

He tended to have that effect on people.

Instead of answering, she threw a wave of power at them that would have tossed them back into the forest, probably breaking bones before they broke more colliding with trees and hitting the ground.

It would have, if Stiles could not see her aura build up for the spell and then lash out at them. He easily just reached forward and parted her energy around them, blowing the wave of force harmlessly into the forest behind them.

“Stiles?” Ethan queried, probably asking if he wanted them to do anything. He shook his head minutely in response, feeling the twins settle down to wait behind him. He kept his gaze on the woman.

“Dayum, gurl! If you can throw that ass like you throw magic, you must have people buying tickets to pound town day and night!” Scott choked behind him, and he had to suppress a pleased reaction. Instead he narrowed his eyes at her affronted look, spying the beginnings of fear on her as her aura curled inward, her face pinching as she controlled her expression.

“But you're aiming _so_ far out of your league.”

He saw her easily-redirected wave of force, and raised her a flood of crushing power. His energy swarmed over her, lifting her feet from beneath her and hurling her around the clearing. First she crashed into the stump just in front of her before being violently tossed away to collide with an innocent tree, snapping through a thick branch. He dragged her back through the dirt and sand before throwing her away again. She crashed to the ground with a cry, leaping back up quicker than he had expected.

Instead of fighting back, her energy wrapped around her and twisted in a way he could not follow, racing away into the night and leaving an empty space where she had been. His eyebrows raised, impressed in spite of himself.

“Fuck!” He heard the three wolves behind him jump at his curse. “I did _not_ see that coming!” He whirled around, sitting on the stump and crossing his arms.

“What...what just happened?” He looked up to Scott, taking in the most adorable confused-puppy face he had ever seen in his life. His gaze flickered to the twins, silently asking if they had any input before he came up with an idea. They both shrugged - simultaneously, hot – and he sighed. It would be up to him.

As usual.

“Well,” he began. “First things first, let's kill this tree. Again. Returning dead gods to life is some dark shit and usually ends badly for the place it happens. Even I'm not about to fuck with that batch of crazy voodoo.”

“But you'll...mess with other dark stuff?” Stiles shot his adorable, innocent little True-Alpha-to-be a small smile. It was probably a bit condescending.

Whatever.

“Eh, Energy Vampirism is about as dark as I get. But I dabble, I know enough to either get into or stay out of trouble.” Scott frowned, and he could see the first inklings of a conscience in his friend. He shrugged. Scott would either call him out, or get over it.

“Is that like...drinking blood?” Stiles smirked. So adorable. And clueless.

“Yeah, kinda I guess. Except replace blood with life energy, remove the fangs and violence. It's kind of the opposite of pushing power into you to show you what being an alpha feels like. Instead of pushing it in, I suck it all out. And keep it. It's how I became an alpha.”

“Sorry to interrupt story time,” Aiden cut in with a long-suffering scowl. “But you said we should kill the tree. It's late. I wanna go back to sleep before we have to drag our asses to school in...” He looked at his phone. “Three hours.” Stiles nodded, leaping to his feet.

“Alright boys, lesson one in deity murder.” He moved and grabbed their shoulders one by one, directing them to stand at equidistant points around the huge tree. He leaped up on top of it and spun in a slow circle. “We've actually got a really good number for this.

“Okay. Everyone, claws out, slash open a hand or a wrist. Just get nice and bloody. Bleed all over the tree. Let it go like a bad Frozen rendition. If you don't need super-jumbo tampons for your heavy flow, then get another Mean Girls reference.” He grinned, enjoying the confusion on Scott's face and the rolled eyes from the twins in equal measure. Like good little puppies though, they slashed themselves open and bled all over the tree.

Power rolled around the clearing in a wave he knew only he could feel. He inhaled deeply, drawing in the scent of all that power, relishing it before exhaling. He knew his eyes were blazing red in response.

Different kinds of magic had different languages. He had read about deities in some book a while ago, and he knew that the spell he was using probably had words in Celtic.

He did not know Celtic.

Nor did he know the words he might need for this spell.

So he was gonna wing it.

Magic was all about intention anyway, right? It had worked for him so far.

He gathered his will, focused his intention toward killing the god below him. He swept out his senses, gathering up the energy from the werewolves' blood. They made for an adequate stand-in-sacrifice. His spell was primed, now he just needed words to raise the energy levels and focus it to a spear point.

He started to sing.

“If I see the morning hours, I'll have one more yesterday. Take life from tomorrow, cause I've burned out my today.” He spun around, fire igniting from beneath his feet and whirling out to cover the top of the tree. He heard Scott yelp, but there was not enough buildup yet.

Crap, what lyrics would work...

Yeah, okay. He had this.

“We're not ready to see you yet, 99 ways to die! We're not ready to see you yet, 99 ways to die!” he stomped his feet a couple times, energy pounding down into the trunk of the tree.

He snapped the bond the woman had forged, a sharp, keening note tearing through the air.

“Demitasse of arsenic, try on this tie, never mind the tree!” Ha, he was a genius. The words rolled around him, and he could swear he heard the accompanying music pounding in the background. The crackle of flames pounded the drums around him, Scott's terrified yelling blending with the keening of the tree itself providing the guitar riffs and bass tones.

“There is only death and danger in the sockets of my eyes. A playground of illusion, no one plays they only die.” The soul of the tree rose up around him, the flames coalescing into the shape of a woman dressed like a Mayan priestess. Or Incan. Aztec? He had never learned the differences, or even where any of them used to be. He was surprised though; he would have sworn none of them had settlements this far north! Regardless, the woman glared at him, and he really could hear the accompaniment to his song raging around him. He grinned and drove his spell home.

“We're not ready to see you yet, 99 ways to die! We're not ready to see you yet, 99 ways to die!” With his last words, he leaped into the air and drove his feet down into the stump.

It exploded, hurling him through the air and launching shards of wood around the clearing. A pair of strong arms caught him, but the force of his descent knocked them both to the ground. He heard two pained yelps, doubtless from where his other two companions failed to dodge flying shards of tree.

The body below him coughed. He groaned in response.

“Stiles...” He recognized Ethan below him and dropped his head back onto the boy's shoulder. “Did you just...” he coughed, then pushed Stiles off him to sit up. He coughed as well and rolled so he was sitting. Scott and Aiden were picking themselves up on the other side of the clearing, pulling thick splinters and shards out of their bodies. Aiden did so quietly, growling softly and grimacing. Scott whimpered and ripped them out like he would a band-aid, yelping and wincing.

Ethan shoved him.

“Did you just fuckin' blow up a god to a Megadeth song?!” Stiles caught himself and promptly burst into laughter.

“You what?!” Aiden roared from where he stood, glaring at him in favor of removing more splinters. He laughed harder.

“Guys, guys, it was so perfect!” he winced as he rolled to his knees, unsteady and unable to stand from laughing. He hurt. The spell had drained him, and honestly probably almost killed him because he had been so ill-prepared. But it had worked. “'99 Ways to Die' was perfect! It had a good meter, it was easy to adjust to the right length, the lyrics were basically meant for this!”

He tolerated the twins' yelling and cussing with bright smiles and laughter. Sure, it had been crazy, and probably almost killed them. So did half the things he did on a daily basis.

He had yet to fail.

Once they calmed down he approached Scott and helped his friend pluck out the rest of his splinters. He had a few more than Aiden, and they were smaller and embedded deeper. Stiles finally growled in frustration and reached out with his mind, pulling them all out at once with a thought. Scott yelped and sagged against him, but whispered a thanks. He turned back to the twins, who were still glaring at him.

“Thanks, you guys. I really do appreciate the help.” Their shoulders sagged and they each ran a hand through his hair.

“Yeah, whatever. You'd fuckin' die without us.”

“Damn right I would. Now let's go back to bed. Why are we out here? We've got school in the morning!”

Scott let go of him when Ethan shoved him, so he hit the ground hard. He looked up with a grin, knowing full-well he deserved that. The twins growled and stomped away.

He took Scott's outstretched hand and held on as they walked.

  
  


“What do you think you're doing, Scott?” He flinched and his smile dissolved as Derek's voice reached him from the parking lot. School had just let out, and he was comfortable under Stiles' arm, pressed into his side while his best friend rambled on about unimportant things he had stopped really listening to. Stiles just liked talking, and he did not really need an audience to do it. Besides, he had the twins on his other side, although they were likely paying even less attention than Scott.

Stiles noticed the tension in his shoulders, voice cutting off immediately.

“What's up, pup?” He hated that nickname. But he also loved it. It was so demeaning, but when Stiles said it it felt so full of affection! The contrast of his feelings toward the simple nickname infuriated him.

“Derek's here. He's...mad that I'm with you.”

“Well, let's go say hi!” Stiles started them forward, Scott's eyes widening. What! No, that was a terrible idea! Derek would try and hurt them!

“Stiles, no wait, let's just...just let me go, I can deal-”

“What's up, Sourwolf? Someone pee on your bush and didn't have time to fight a turf war before you had to come pick up the puppies?” Scott flinched out from under Stiles' arm as his friend greeted the older beta. He noticed the twins hanging back a little bit, apparently content to just observe. Derek seemed to make no notice of them when he grabbed Stiles' by the shirt and threw him into the side of his Camaro.

Oh shit.

“Derek stop!” He ignored him, hands fisting in Stiles shirt and pushing him up against the car.

“Oh, wow, you're even grumpier than you looked from a distance!” Derek snarled, but the grin never faded from Stiles' face. “Of course, if my uncle killed the last person I loved and then brainwashed me into their little puppet, I'd probably be-” His voice cut off when Derek's fist connected with his cheek.

Rage pulsed through him, red hot and overwhelming. He reached forward and grabbed Derek's hair, pulling back and down hard. It was dirty, and it worked. Derek yelped, trying and failing to twist as Scott used his leverage against Derek's relatively weak neck muscles, forcing him to either go with the force to the ground or break his own neck. The other beta rolled and leaped back to his feet as soon as Scott released his hair, eyes flashing and fists clenching around claws. Scott knew his own eyes were flashing at Derek.

The twins had formed a wall behind Derek, cutting off the line of sight from any onlookers. Isaac joined them as soon as he left the building, but he stayed back with the twins when one of them set a hand on his shoulder.

Stiles was laughing behind him. Derek snarled and made to step forward again, but paused when Scott mirrored his action. If he was going to try and get at Stiles, he would have to-

“Oh by gosh, this is so adorable!” The human alpha cried around a blocked nose. “This is so cute. Aided, cad you take a picture for be? I wa't to rebe'ber this forever!” He snorted heavily and spit off to the side, clearing out his sinuses and making a lot of random noise while he shook himself out. “Derek Hale, little beta bitch to the worst alpha in history, getting all territorial over the human making friends with someone he doesn't even like!”

He took his eyes off Derek for the first time when Stiles leaned forward and rested his chin on Scott's shoulder. His gaze flickered over to the human, unsure of what he should do. Should he attack Derek? Stand here and just make sure Derek did not try to hurt Stiles again?

“Thanks for defending my honor, Scotty. I appreciate it. You can chill now though.” The tension flooded out of his muscles like Stiles' words had unlocked a gate.

It was almost concerning how readily he listened to the other boy, how much he _wanted_ to listen to him. Even with Derek there, the power radiating off of Stiles promised safety and affection. Why would he _not_ want that? In fact, why was Derek not rolling over just to feel that from Stiles as well? He knew even Isaac breathed a little easier when Stiles was near, as could be witnessed by the fact he was simply standing next to the alpha twins watching.

“You...” Derek's eyes were trained on him, wide and stunned. “You've...you've been compromised, Scott. You need-” Stiles snorted loudly and lifted his hand to rest of Scott's shoulder.

“If by compromised you mean 'given love and protection,' then yeah, he's been compromised as fuck.” Derek frowned and his gaze shifted back to Stiles. “Dude. Bro. You can't seriously think that anyone living under your alpha's sleezy fist is _happy_ can you?” Scott clenched his fists as Derek growled, but Stiles barreled on like he could not hear. Or like he did not care.

He probably just did not care.

“Duuuude, Erica and Boyd ran away! They weren't kidnapped! I mean...well. They were. But that happened _after_ they ran off, it's irrelevant to the point I'm making!” The older wolf was frowning less threateningly now, like the words were actually making him think. Scott could not believe it. As long as he had known him, Derek had been...unquestioning of Peter.

“He killed your freakin' sister, man! The last person you loved on this planet!” He what? He...Peter had...

“He what?” Stiles hand on his shoulder tightened briefly.

“Guess that part of the story never made it down to the bitten betas, huh?” The hand slid away from his shoulder and Stiles stepped around and in front of him, moving closer to Derek. “I mean, I can imagine why. What I can't understand though, is how in the _Hale_ you could just...let it go!” Did he really just...Scott suppressed a sigh. Of course, even when being serious and earnest Stiles was incapable of _not_ making jokes.

“But then, I guess even that's not a huge stretch, is it?” Stiles voice grew softer, mesmerizing. Scott felt drawn in, captivated by the gentle kindness flowing through his friend's words. “You'd be an omega without him. Omega's don't last long, and any alpha has to be better than being alone. Even a monster that took everything you had left.”

The spell broke when Derek snarled and lunged away from Stiles, fangs and claws bared beneath shining blue eyes as the beta ran off, charging through the rest of the parking lot to get to treeline. Stiles sighed and turned back toward Scott, lifting a hand in invitation. Scott quickly stepped forward and plastered himself back to Stiles' side, basking in the alpha's warmth.

“Hey, Isaac.” Scott turned and watched as Isaac stood up straight, devoting his whole attention to Stiles. “Why don't you take Derek's car back to wherever he stays? He left the keys inside. And I also want you to give your alpha a message.” The lanky werewolf blinked, surprised, but nodded.

“What do you want to tell him?”

“Tell him that I am going to come for him this Friday evening. I want him to know that if he surrenders, leaves you guys alone and offers himself up willingly to me, I will let him live. But if he does anything to hurt you guys before then, if every one of you is not present and unharmed when I come on Friday...” Scott looked up and inhaled sharply at the cold expression on his friend's face. It was not one he had seen before, and it made him want to bundle Stiles up and take him where he would never need to make it again.

“Tell him that I will make him relive every minute of the six years after the fire for every hair out of place.” Scott was not sure why that seemed to be such a profound threat, but he figured Stiles knew more about Peter's past than he did. If he thought it would be a meaningful threat...Would Peter care? The man was insane; he thought no one could touch him.

Scott also thought no one could touch Peter. The alpha had seemed like a cruel god from the moment he bit Scott back in his sophomore year, taunting and tormenting him just because he could.

But Stiles...

Stiles was like nothing Scott had ever known. He _laughed_ at Derek's threats, then sent Peter's strongest beta running with nothing more than _words_ _!_ He made Scott feel special, like he actually meant something. He carried power like a blanket, a cloak he could drape over anyone he deemed worthy of his protection.

He had destroyed an _actual_ god using a spell he practically made up on the spot.

Maybe he could actually handle Peter?

Maybe everything would really be okay.

  
  


Peter waited. His little beta had delivered a message from the alpha pack that they would be coming for him.

It was Friday evening, and Peter was waiting.

He had heard of the alpha pack. A group of alphas led by Deucalion, the Demon Wolf. He met Deucalion once, many years before. Talia held council with the man in an attempt to ally with the Argents.

He laughed to himself.

What a disaster that meeting had been.

Evidently the alpha werewolf had been building himself a nice little crew of lesser alphas. No one really knew who had joined him, but his young betas seemed to be under the impression that a boy who called himself 'Stiles' was the leader of the alphas.

Erica and Boyd had relayed that Deucalion simply let them go when the Stiles suggested it. Of course, Peter knew it must have been an act. The Deucalion he knew and remembered would never submit to anyone, let alone a _teenager_.

Isaac had delivered a 'message' from the Stiles character.

The boy certainly seemed full of himself, if he thought to threaten Peter.

But, he had to admit, he was curious. He wanted to see this boy who thought so highly of himself, this boy who played at commanding a man such as the Demon Wolf.

This boy who turned his nephew into a quiver mass of weakness and seemed to be drawing his betas away one by one. He had not seen Scott McCall since the night he took the brat's lovely mother out for a nice dinner.

Perhaps after he dealt with this Stiles boy, he would approach Melissa and make love to her while Scott was in his room. Yes, that could be enjoyable. Especially if she could be persuaded to be loud, to give in wholely to the passion he would bring her. Or maybe he could seduce her with him present? Make the boy flee while Peter slowly unwrapped his mother before his very eyes.

A shift in the currents around his territory alerted him to intruders.

So, the Stiles had arrived.

“Come, our guests approach.” He announced softly into the air. He had gathered his whole pack, as Stiles requested, but he had no intention of submitting to the whelp. Peter, of course, had no need to murder the betas he had so carefully chosen. He had no need for the extra dregs of strength he could wring from them; he was power incarnate. No one could defeat him. He had planned for too long, fought too hard and done too much to be brought low by any as haughty as the 'alpha pack.'

Especially a boy in high school.

One by one his betas filtered into the common area of the loft he had purchased to live in. He could have had the old house rebuilt, but it held too many dark memories, too much weakness. It would soon be demolished, and perhaps he would use the space for something else? For now, though, the loft was good enough. It looked out over the city with a view worthy of someone of his stature.

Footsteps sounded outside the sliding door that served as the primary entrance to his domain. The door slid back, revealing his most recalcitrant beta leading the way for three others.

Only three? He sighed softly. Apparently the Stiles was so overconfident that he did not even deign to bring Deucalion to ensure things went his way.

Perhaps he would merely maim the Stiles instead of killing him, allow the whelp to learn from his mistakes.

“Scott.” He intoned graciously. “It's good to see you, it's been so long! Your mother and I had a wonderful evening, I'm sure she told you all about it.” His lips curled upward in an approximation of a smile when a deep growl reached him from his beta's chest. “Would you care to introduce me to your...friends?” He looked to the trio, twins preceded by a lanky boy. Perhaps this was the one who called himself Stiles? He was cute, Peter would admit. He carried himself proudly, a smirk gracing his features as he locked eyes with Peter.

He growled softly when the brat failed to avert his gaze.

He _dared_ challenge Peter in his own domain?

“Wow, you're a real piece of work, you know that? I figured I should tell you, because apparently no one else ever has.”

The boy was...intriguing. Infuriating, but intriguing. Peter bared his teeth in return, a false smile that no wolf would interpret as friendly. “Not the most polite introduction I've ever received. My name is Peter Hale, the alpha-”

“Yeah, yeah, get over yourself. I know who you are.”

Peter saw red.

The boy had interrupted him with a dismissive hand wave. He would pay-

“So? Your pack is all here. Does that mean you're gonna offer yourself up to me?” He blinked at the sudden question. The Stiles had interrupted his thoughts. It was worse than interrupting his words. And he just _kept talking!_ “Gonna let me have my wicked way with you, set to right all the wrongs you've done, throw the bucket of water on the proverbial wicked witch? Can we move this show along? I want to take Scott out to Sinema.”

“Seriously, Stiles?” One of the twins groaned, jostling boy's shoulder. Was this a joke to them? Was this whole meeting a farce?

“What! It's Friday! Time to get jiggy, go out on the town! Scotty's never been clubbing before!”

“Well, I do apologize for being _such_ an inconvenience to your plans!” Peter announced, brushing a hand over his heart in mock apology. He had infused as much sarcasm as he possessed. Perhaps the boy would-

“Great, thanks, you really have been.” Die a painful death. Peter started forward, vision red and a growl building in his throat. That was it. He would teach this little brat to respect his superiors! “Oh, are we gonna fight? Please let this be a fight! I haven't kicked anyone's ass since that cunt at the-” Peter swung a claw at the jabbering youth, only to yelp as his feet were tossed from under him and he crashed hard to the floor. He slid to a stop against the couch and leaped to his feet. “Nemeton.”

How had...

“Aw, don't tell me that's all you've got. Come on, big bad dictator – or should I say dick tater, am I right?” He knocked his elbow against a twin's ribs, earning rolled eyes. Peter snarled and leaped forward. He threw a book at the boy as a small distraction.

It was a useless distraction, as the book sailed wider than Peter had thrown it, and a wrecking ball of force crushed him back to the ground. All while the boy was _still_ yammering on about nothing! What was happening?! Peter leaped back to his feet, only to yelp as he was hurled to the ground by nothing yet again!

Was Stiles responsible for this embarrassment? There was no way!

He could not move. His limbs lay heavy and immobile on the ground. He strained against invisible bonds, thrashed motionlessly under his skin and roared in impotent rage.

The infuriating boy came to stand over him, looking down with sad eyes. Pitying eyes.

Peter hated pity more than anything else. He made another fruitless attempt to overcome whatever witchcraft held him down.

“I'm sorry, Peter. I don't think you were always such a terrible person. You didn't deserve what happened to you.” He snarled against the words. They meant nothing. He had grown from his tragedy and had become invincible! No mere boy could overpower him!

Stiles knelt down and ran a gentle hand over his face, brushing hair from his eyes.

“I wish I could fix you.” The words were a whisper, for his ears only. He snarled in response, trying to surge up to bite at the fingers resting against his temple. “But I can't. All I can do is deliver your pack into better hands.” Stiles closed his eyes and inhaled deeply.

Why were his betas doing nothing? He flashed his eyes, reaching along his pack bonds to command his wolves to attack this usurper! None of them moved, simply watching as the boy knelt over him, emasculated him!

They merely watched as Peter's power began to flow from him.

He struggled once he realized what was happening. Somehow the boy hovering over him was _taking_ _his alpha spark!_ He was taking what was rightfully Peter's, stealing the power that made him a god!

Peter roared angrily as he felt the spark in his eyes dim and die, the torrent of energy that made him an alpha no longer raging through his body.

But the energy did not stop flowing from him. He felt the shine of his pale blue eyes dim to their natural color, and all the strength fled from his limbs.

No. This could not be. This could not be his end! Not lying down like this, a pitying warlock drawing from him the spark that contained his life! No!

He tried to breathe. His lungs failed. He could not be overcome! He raged against his bonds, but he knew they were gone. Now his only bonds were those of his body. His body, which was no longer under his control. He felt the last of his energy leave him, the last vestiges of strength.

Light drifted from him.

Thought ceased.

  
  


Stiles held himself still for a long moment, wishing he could have helped Peter in some way. But he was not a god. He could not help everyone. In reality, he knew the desire to help the alpha stemmed only from his desire to impress Scott. Scott was precious, and he wanted everyone to be happy. If Scott held a darker soul, Stiles would have slaughtered Peter without fanfare, kept the power for himself and spirited the True Alpha away.

As it was, he stood and faced the silent room.

“Derek and Boyd. Come here.” His voice rang through the loft like a gong. He felt full to bursting with Peter's power. He could assimilate it, make himself stronger, but holding it...Holding the power and doing nothing with it required effort. The two betas stepped closer to him on jerky legs, fear warring with hope on each of their faces.

“Your pack has nominated you as the candidates for their new alpha. Derek, as the last remaining Hale and the most experienced wolf, you may claim the power for yourself. If you do not want to lead this pack, then submit to Boyd as your new alpha.

Derek looked stunned. His eyes were wide and his jaw slack. Apparently no one had told him the plan. Stiles refrained from rolling his eyes, then reconsidered and did it. “Come on, I don't have all day. Sinema, remember?” Boyd snickered, and it shook Derek from his shock.

“I...I want...” The last Hale blinked heavy eyes and shook his head. “Give it to Boyd. I...I can't be the alpha they deserve.” Stiles smiled and nodded. He reached out and gripped Derek's shoulder, pushing warmth and light at the man, before turning to face the taller boy.

“Ready, Boyd? Will you be a good leader for these guys?” The teen nodded.

“I'll do my best.” Stiles smiled at him, and pushed.

Boy gasped as the power flooded into him, Peter's life essence and his alpha spark both whirling into Boyd's body. Stiles coordinated the flow of energy, directing it into the boy's core and spreading it out comfortably. The power settled, and he grinned and flashed his eyes in response to Boyd's glowing red ones.

Stepping away, Stiles reached out and pulled Scott under his arm while they watched Boyd greet the others as their new alpha. He smiled and watched affectionate hugs and grips, tentative smiles passed around like candy.

“Stiles, can we go now? This is cute and all, but I didn't want to go to the dentist for at least another ten years.” He chuckled at Aiden's grumble and waved his hand toward the door.

“Yeah, let's bounce. They know where we're going if they want in. Ready, Scotty?” He grinned down at the boy beneath his arm, receiving a bright smile in return.

“Ready.”

  
  


“So then he keeps pushing forward, and he _breaks_ the barrier!”

“Psht,” Kali scoffs, “Like fuck he did.” Stiles grinned and jabbed his fork in her direction.

“Bitch _fight_ me, I’ll show you the fuckin' memories!”

“Stiles, please. The tale?” He grinned sheepishly at Deucalion but made no apologies. He bumped Scott’s shoulder, jostling the boy's hands from where they were covering his face in embarrassment.

“So he breaks the barrier right? And I mean, I could have handled it, but the crazy witch had his mom, so of course he just charges in. She tried attacking him, but I kept him safe obviously.” Like that even needed mentioning. “So she freaks out, thinks he’s got some crazy immunity and all, tosses a circle around herself and Scotty’s mom.” He paused to take a bite, chewing enough to swallow and leaping back in to his narrative.

“It doesn’t work at first, yeah? Blue wall, threw him backward, you know. So I’m about to banish the barrier, but he leaps up and tries again! The lady’s just kinda watching, curious, not even threatening Melissa which, pretty dumb of her I gotta say.”

“Stiles!”

“Sorry, Scotty, but it’s true! She had a great hostage, and she wasted it because she was curious.” Scott grumbled and shoved enough food in his mouth that he could not even think of responding. Stiles grinned and kept talking.

“So dumb bitch. Scott’s pressing into the barrier, and I’m curious now too. I could’ve had the ash down and Melissa safe before Jennifer did anything, so I just let it happen. 

“He starts making headway! The ash doesn’t throw him back, and he starts leaning into it!! His energy goes crazy, and I literally felt his spark wake up!” He waves his fork around, gesticulating wildly in excitement. It had just been so cool!! The memories fluttered through his mind like puppies, throwing image after image before his eyes as he reminded himself of the events over and over again. 

“Anyway, his alpha spark leaps to life, and he _shatters_ the barrier!! It was the coolest thing! Like, I watched as the ash gave up, all the energy keeping Scott out caving in and lashing back into Jennifer. So she goes down gasping and Scotty rescues his mom, who may or may not even remember anything.”

“Was she alright?” He waves off the polite concern in Deucalion’s voice. Doubtless the man did not really care, but he would want Scott to think he did. 

“Yeah, she’ll be okay. Little dehydrated, little battered. I think they said she had a concussion.” Reaching out, Stiles rubbed a comforting hand over Scott’s back. His friend was still worried, in spite of all the reassurances the doctors gave them.

“Well, we have no pressing concerns. If you would like to remain a while longer to watch over your mother, Scott, I’m sure we could arrange matters.” Stiles lifted an eyebrow at his friend, but Scott shook his head after a moment of thought.

“No, I think…” he swallowed and Stiles knew him well enough by now to recognize guilt and shame. “She will…she’ll be happier not having to worry about me. She’ll be released before we leave…we should stick to the schedule.” Their alpha shrugged.

“If you’re certain.” Scott nodded, voice thick as he spoke again.

“Yeah. You couldn’t…I mean, you could probably smell it, her relief. But she…” Stiles squeezed his shoulder, trying to give his friend some comfort. He had not been present during the discussion about taking Scott away. Only Deucalion, Scott, and Melissa knew what words had been exchanged. “She just looked…so relieved when you said you could help me. She tried…she tried to hide it, but…I could tell.”

Kali stood, collecting her empty plate and moving from the table. She brushed a hand over both of their heads, her own silent kind of support, but Stiles knew she wanted to be as far from this emotional drama as she could possibly get. Ennis and the twins charged ahead with their food like no one else was even there.

“I know she loves me…but it’s been hard. I’ll miss her, and I’m sure she’ll miss me, but I think we’ll both be happier when we’re not constantly worrying the other.” Deucalion nodded and gave Scott a fatherly smile.

“Well, she will certainly be taken care of. You scratch my back, and all that.” Scott gave the man a small grin Stiles knew he could not see, but he also knew Duke would assume it was there anyway. He would probably smell the gratitude.

Did gratitude have a scent? It was certainly painted all over Scott’s face in a coat thick enough Stiles thought he should have been able to smell it!

“So not to crush a tender moment,” Scott chuckled at Duke’s polite manner. “But Stiles, how did your rescue end?”

“Oh! Yeah!” Stiles shoveled the last of his food into his mouth, swallowing quickly and gasping when it lagged, not chewed enough to go down smoothly. “Glack. Sorry. So Yeah! Jennifer hits the dirt, Scott gets his mom down and falls back. We asked her about her motives and all that, and it turns out she was Kali's emissary!! Like way back from when you first recruited her.”

“Well that was an oversight we could have paid dearly for. Kali told me she was dead.” Stiles nodded.

“She thought she was. She’d clawed Jennifer all to hell, but she was just barely hanging on, got to the Nemeton and kinda fixed herself up.”

“The Nemeton you destroyed?” He nodded again.

“Yeah. So she's all weak now, couldn’t do anything after the ash backlashed fast as cash in hashtag bash.” Scott choked on his mouthful and Stiles tossed him a bright grin. Duke ignored him. “So I had the twins kill her. Cutting loose ends and all. She’s really dead this time.” Scott narrowed his eyes slightly, but blinked and shook his head.

Aw, his morals were already hitting Stiles boundaries! He wondered how often they would argue about things like killing. It was bound to happen, with a True Alpha in the pack. He was not worried though. Scott, as righteous as he was, knew that sometimes there were some people who would be worse alive than dead.

“Well, thank you for cleaning up a mess I should not have left.” Duke nodded toward the twins, who murmured ‘you’re welcome's before rising to take their own empty plates into the kitchen. Stiles leaned into their hands when they caressed his head, then turned back to their alpha with a question.

“So, Duke, I’ve been wondering.” At a gesture to continue, he happily obliged. “Now that we’ve got Scotty, what’s next on our agenda? We take off, where are we headed?” Scott perked up, and so did Ennis. The twins and Kali all poked their heads back in, apparently curious enough to postpone whatever they had been off to do. Deucalion smiled and took his final bite, chewing slowly and torturing them for a long moment before answering. 

“Well. We have got a powerful pack. Our numbers are not insignificant, and we have a grand variety of backgrounds and skills among us.” Everyone grinned, and he continued. “Being here in Beacon Hills made me…more aware, you might say, of a deficit in quality alphas over the world. With hunters constantly dogging our heels, I would be amazed to learn that Peter Hale was the only bad egg.

“I heard once a joke about a ‘Lycan Review Board’ and I thought to myself ‘you know, why not? We should band together as a species, watch out for our own.’”

“So we’re gonna go decide if an alpha is worthy of being an alpha or not?”

“That is exactly what I was thinking we should do.” He answered Stiles’ question. “Perhaps offer training to those who are merely incompetent, raise new, better alphas to replace those who are a danger to us all.”

“We should totally hold conferences! Alpha-cons!” Duke chuckled, and Stiles grinned and jostled Scott’s shoulder. 

“What do you think, Scott?”

“I…” His friend’s eyes grew wide as Duke turned his attention on him, but he cleared his throat. “I think it’s a great idea. I…I like the thought of making sure other people are better off than my pack was.” Duke gave him a small smile and nodded in approval. Stiles lifted himself to his feet and dragged Scott with him.

“Good. You two go enjoy yourselves, I will begin reaching out for our next destination.” Hurriedly washing their dishes, Stiles dragged Scott to their room and dropped onto the bed.

“So?” Scott settled down in front of him more calmly, a small smile blooming on his face.

“So, what?”

“So, are you ready? Ready to start a new chapter in your life?” Scott leaned forward and reached out for his hand, Stiles happily intertwining their fingers. He leaned forward as well and met Scott halfway, pressing their lips together in a light kiss, both of them grinning too much for more than smiling against one another. Scott pulled back and nodded, hair flopping over his eyes.

“Yeah.” He leaned in for another kiss, gripping Stiles hair and smiling against his face again. Stiles smiled back. Scott was the best. They were gonna do so much. They were gonna change everything!

“We're gonna be so awesome.”

  
  


 


End file.
